Across the Universe
by Quite Unrequited
Summary: In any universe...she'll always be his Bella. AU, EPOV.
1. 1

**No copyright infringement intended. I do this not for compensation, but merely for the merriment of myself and my fellow twilighters. I may own a ferocious Edward appetite, but Stephenie Meyer owns all things twilight!**

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**1.**

Bliss.

While it may have taken 104 years to find, I at last know it well.

Bliss is anticipating an infinite number of _small, perfect pieces of forever_ – to quote the woman I love. It's no longer hoping, but _knowing_ we'll share myriads of moments just like this one. Simply and intricately put:

_Bliss is Bella. _

Her eyes – which are mirrors of my own – are full of liquid gold longing.

Her lips that repeatedly part, release sweet breath with every whisper of my name.

Her hands, that play no known musical instrument, skillfully stroke the chords of my body.

Bliss is each kiss I apply hungrily down the length of her jaw, effectively driving us both to distraction. Only moments ago she was demonstrating a newfound control over her shield – essentially raising and lowering it at will – and permitting me the pleasure of hearing her thoughts. Emphasis on pleasure; as she was recounting with vivid detail our first night after her transformation. I really must write and thank Zafrina for her diligence with their latter practice sessions.

The intermittent resurgence of her thoughts tells me she's making her third attempt of the evening. Immediately, I'm torn. I'm well aware that she requires concentration if she's to meet with any level of success. Do I do my duty as a supportive husband and aid her in this effort? Or, do I do my damndest to make her forget her own name again? I'm nowhere close to solving this conundrum, and opt in the meantime to continue my amorous ministrations. With my mouth and fingers I lavish attention between her thighs, and I don't stop until I've tasted the fount of her sweet nectar – twice. I'm sliding home when I detect one complete, crystal clear thought floating across the surface of her mind.

_Edward, what is that?_

"If I have to tell you, Bella, then clearly I'm doing it wrong." Determined, I begin to really put my back into it. Redoubling my efforts on a particularly sweet spot I know she likes. I smile broadly, sensing her body's immediate response.

_No, not _that_…_ "**_That_**_!_" Relieved to find that it was merely a misunderstanding, I turn my head slightly in the direction her finger is indicating, without relinquishing the exquisite rhythm I'm drumming into her. The '_that'_ in question is suspended in air a few feet from us and looks similar in appearance to the light trail left behind by a handheld firework on the Fourth of July. As I watch it stretches, revealing an opening of some sort. And on the other side of this opening where, logically, our bedroom wall should be, is a view to another scene entirely.

"I don't know what it _is_. But, I can tell you what it _has_: terrible timing." Reluctantly, I forsake my union with my wife and assume a position much more conducive to conducting a thorough investigation. Eyeing the spot in earnest, I see the figure of a man in the distance. Even before he draws near, the queerest feeling of familiarity washes over me and I'm almost certain that I know him. When I register the haunting emerald green of his eyes, I know I do.

"Edward…that's you." Bella breathes shakily, the unbelief in her declaration is unmistakable.

"Yes." I whisper, befuddled by the unexpected turn of events.

"Your eyes are green. You're _human_?" Her voice raises an octave with the realization, and, absently, she leans her body in closer.

"It would appear so." I say, searching his face, and other features, closely for any sign that he's responding to Bella's naked form. I'm relieved, for his sake, when I find none. As the fact that we share the same face wouldn't have been a hindrance in the beating of his ass.

Upon further observation it's apparent that the man, who is clearly me before my transformation, is completely unaware of us as he goes about his business in the room on his side of the opening. He takes a seat at the desk, picks up paper and pen and presumably begins writing.

"How is this even possible?" Bella asks, as she stares unblinkingly at the phenomenon.

"I'm afraid my repository of knowledge ends at spontaneous rifts in the Space-time Continuum." I answer in jest, but, the notion, now that it's been mentioned, does cause me to wonder.

Several minutes pass when my human self suddenly stands up and walks straight toward the opening, removing articles of clothing as he goes. I'm reading the words "Calvin Klein" on the waistband of his boxer briefs when Bella screams and throws herself behind me. I look over my shoulder and see her wrapped up like the Green Giant's gordito burrito in our comforter. Adorable.

"I'd have covered you up myself if I thought for a moment he could see you." I say, unable to curb my amusement. _She_ may have forgotten she was nude, but protecting her modesty was my first priority once "the green-eyed intruder" appeared on the scene.

"How do you know he couldn't?" She asks with that doe-eyed innocent look of hers. Really, Bella? _Really?_

"Trust me, love, that is a man who has no earthly idea there was a naked woman directly in front of him." Her naivety is endearing. Do women truly not comprehend that there are certain physical responses which are beyond a man's control?

"No, that **_was_** a man who had no earthly idea there was a naked woman directly in front of him. But, at the rate he was traveling, it wouldn't have taken him long to make the discovery."

I turn my head around at her words to find that, indeed, the mysterious opening and my human counterpart have both vanished. While it's true we weren't expecting the event we just witnessed, being mythical creatures we're quite accustomed to accepting the unexplained. And when we quite literally have forever on our hands, we're in no hurry to hash it out now. Not when I know there stands only feathers and silk between myself and Bella's nakedness.

With purposeful slowness I look her up and down. Though her curves are surrounded by the confines of the down comforter; doing so triggers one of those uncontrolled physical responses. I smile wickedly as recognition dawns on her face.

"Easy come, easy go I suppose. Speaking of coming…" I trail off suggestively as I slowly stalk towards her. She giggles wildly and dashes out of the bedroom, leaving the down comforter in a heap on the floor. Summoning all of my restraint, I pause for a few moments. She may not be human anymore, but, she is still new to this life and I don't want to overwhelm her with the intensity of my need. _Perhaps tomorrow night._

Once I'm assured I've fully recovered from the onslaught of predatory instincts to pursue, I follow her scent into the living room. I find her standing behind the couch, like a statuesque vision of Venus, smiling beautifully at me. She is the picture of perfect ease; exuding overwhelming confidence in her chosen barricade. As if that pretentious piece of Parisian furnishing of Alice's, will keep me from getting at her. As if she honestly believes I'm too afraid of my sister to…oh, I don't know…smash it to hell.

"You really shouldn't run from me, Bella. You know what that does to me." I murmur darkly.

"Oops," she says sheepishly, reminding me so much of her former self it very nearly warms my cold heart. "I just wanted to buy myself a few minutes to practice powering down my shield again. After all, you know what your touch does to me." She offers cheekily from behind the walls of her flimsy fortress of solitude; otherwise known as the sofa.

"Touché," I chuckle softly as I raise my hands in a show of surrender. "Practice away…I'll be on my best behavior." We share a pointed look, both of us knowing full well that I'd uttered similar words not more than an hour ago; with contrarily rousing results. I take a seat on the couch in front of her where I feel her leaning in towards me – which is her first mistake. She embraces me tenderly from the assumed safety of the back of the couch, placing a kiss on my cheek (mistake number two and three, respectively). I respond by flipping her over my head and into my lap in one swift movement. Hah, gotcha!

"Hey!" She shrieks and begins to wiggle her delectable derriere in a futile attempt to escape.

"Now, now…I'd sit very still if I were you, before this becomes a practice session of a very different kind." I grind my hips slowly, but firmly against her to punctuate my point.

"Do you promise to let me concentrate?" She inquires while feigning nonchalance, doing her best to conceal her arousal, but hiding nothing.

"On my honor, I promise not to ravish you until you're through." I whisper seductively in her ear, eliciting a delicious shudder. Convinced of my sincerity, she shakes her head in an effort to clear it, before closing her eyes in total concentration.

I can tell that she's getting better at manipulating her shield, because it isn't long before the customary mental silence gives way to a flurry of words. Wisely, she's chosen to focus her thoughts on less erotic territory this time. I'm blown away by the depth of her love for me and her desire to forsake all others even from the onset of our relationship. Not wanting to distract her, I squeeze her hand gently to convey my appreciation and enduring love for her.

Each specific memory she unfolds, dissolves any residual doubt I've ever had about being the right choice for her. I'm reveling in the joy each revelation produces when something catches my eye. I turn my head minutely and witness the reappearance of the inexplicable opening.

"It's strange, but, I feel a different energy building inside of me." Bella announces quietly without opening her eyes.

"What is it like?" I ask, more than a little curious to hear her response.

"I'm not sure I can describe it accurately. But, when I reach out with my mind towards it, it starts to give way. And, I feel the strongest desire to push." Fascinated by this development, I decide to check the pulse on her spirit of adventure.

"Would you like to try and see what happens?" She nods her head and I can hear the moment she begins "pushing" in her mind. I watch the opening attentively, and, sure enough, it begins to grow. Within minutes I'm staring into the same set of green eyes again.

"Bella, love, open your eyes." She does and gasps aloud at the sight looming before her.

"It's back." She says, with awe prevalent in her voice.

"Yes, you brought it back." I inform, equally awestruck.

"You think I did this?" Wide-eyed with shock, she gestures in the general direction of the opening.

"I know you did. The moment you "pushed" the opening began to expand." As if to prove my point, she pushes again and watches in wonder as it grows larger still.

"I think I'd like to stop now." No sooner than the words are out of her mouth, does the opening close in on itself and disappear.

"It seems that you've inherited another great and powerful gift." I say in a hushed tone. Utterly amazed by the woman sitting atop me, I reach up and tuck her hair behind her ear before stroking her face tenderly.

"Is that a common occurrence?" She inquires somewhat bashfully, lowering her head and leaning into my casual touch.

"Gifts themselves are uncommon, multiple gifts, I would imagine, are even more so." With my finger under her chin, I lift her head until her golden gaze meets mine. I offer her favorite crooked smile, hoping she sees in my eyes that I'm speaking as much of her as the conversation at hand. She is an extraordinary creature and the single greatest gift of my existence. As she kisses me softly and sighs contentedly, I know she's heard my silent confession.

"I want to know what this is, Edward. I won't feel comfortable experimenting with it until I do." A familiar crease begins to form between her eyebrows, letting me know there's a fair amount of concern brewing in that impenetrable mind of hers.

I carefully stroke the spot with my thumb, smoothing away the worrisome crease before I speak. "I agree. Shall we dress and pay Carlisle a visit?"

"Definitely." She affirms without hesitation and I, somewhat reluctantly, release her from my embrace.


	2. 2

**No copyright infringement intended. I do this not for compensation, but merely for the merriment of myself and my fellow twilighters. I may own a ferocious Edward appetite, but Stephenie Meyer owns all things twilight!**

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**2.**

Bella and I are both masters of the quick change, but I manage to finish dressing first and volunteer to collect a sleeping Renesmee. As always, I feel a distinct tightening in my chest cavity at the sight of our daughter. As if my frozen heart is thawing and attempting to grow beyond the boundaries of my rib cage. She sighs and nestles her warm little body into mine when I pick her up. Her soft bronze curls framing her dainty, perfect features. Though the contact is unnecessary, I raise her hand to my face and watch a dreamy image of myself, Bella and Jacob (of course) sprinting through the forest, with a delighted Renesmee flitting around us.

Bella enters the room and lifts her overnight bag off my shoulder, which I packed just in case this meeting lasts through the night.

"That's precious cargo you're carrying there, Mr. Cullen. Please allow me to deal with the excess baggage." She says as she casts a loving glance at the angel in my arms.

"As you wish, Mrs. Cullen." I reward her with a searing kiss for her generosity, a not so subtle reminder of what's yet to come.

Without further delay, we travel the short distance to the main house. Upon our arrival I'm not surprised to find the whole family waiting for us. Immediate access to breaking news is just one of the perks that come with living in close proximity to a psychic.

"Speaking of things that _don't_ go bump in the night…" Emmett taunts from his perch on the back of the sofa, not bothering to look up from his Wii. "Seriously, I can barely smell post-coital bliss on you two."

"Careful, Emmett, or Bella just might unleash her new mental gift on you." I courteously forewarn my clueless sibling.

"Well, bring it on, Jean Grey." Emmett dismisses with a snort that morphs into an ungentlemanly curse with the realization that his controller is no longer functioning – and at a pivotal point in his game. His player dies an ugly, premature death prompting more swearing, and, as an added bonus, superfluous arm flailing. Bella and Alice giggle simultaneously and I'm instantly apprised of what's transpired. By cleverly extending her shield around the television set and game console, she has effectively disrupted communication to the controller.

"Ah, witchy woman, this reeks of the voodoo that you do so well." Emmett says, imitating the voice of a kung fu master of old, completing the gag by moving his lips slightly out of sync with his words.

Not missing a beat, Bella imitates his imitation accent to a T. "Oh, yes, it was I. I strongly suggest you keep your comments to yourself, or I'll be forced to sever communication between your pea brain and a crucial part of your anatomy. Also beginning with _P_…" She raises a single eyebrow in true old school martial arts style.

"You dirty rat…" He says slowly, still in full character, seeing her single brow lift and raising it with a double. Thankfully, Rosalie intervenes just as Bella gets this special glint in her eyes.

"Emmett McCarty, if you make her break your joystick, I swear I'll find a way to permanently sever communication between your brain and your big fat mouth!" Shutting down the conversation with a finality that only Rosalie can accomplish, Emmett quickly returns to his game.

Rosalie walks up to me with outstretched arms, making a silent request for the little girl in mine. I pass Renesmee off to her and she sways contentedly to the other side of the room, where she walks and lovingly rocks her still slumbering niece. A sight which is borderline comical because, technically, she's a year old, but, physiologically, she's seven.

"So, are you going to show us your latest Jedi mind trick, or what?" Emmett asks jovially, thoroughly pleased to have full control of his controller once again.

"Yep, that's what I'm here for." She replies with equal buoyancy.

"Bella, are you sure you're up for another demonstration so soon after the last one?" Carlisle inquires gently, his customary compassion and fatherly concern compelling him to err on the side of caution.

"Thank you, Carlisle," she smiles brightly at him, "But, I believe I'm ready to give it another go."

"Then, by all means, please proceed when ready." He resumes his place beside Esme on the loveseat and watches Bella expectantly, along with the rest of the room.

Bella smiles shyly, inwardly dreading being the center of attention. I hold her hand in mine in a show of support, to which she nods appreciatively and closes her eyes. Almost instantly the opening appears in the center of the room. Now that she's aware of it, I suspect that her ability to control it has increased. The opening widens and a collective gasp is released as the human me comes into view.

"Remarkable," Carlisle begins, as he stands to get a closer look. "This is exactly how Edward looked before his change, minus the contemporary clothing, of course."

"Oh, Edward, look at your beautiful eyes." Esme gushes, unable to control the nostalgic lilt to her voice.

"What exactly is it, Carlisle?" I ask with ardent curiosity, which is also a masked attempt to move the attention away from myself.

"Well, we know it isn't a gateway into the past, considering how you're dressed and the modern furnishings. I'll have to do some further research to be sure, but, if I had to venture a guess, I'd say it's either a portal to the present or to the future."

"Wait a minute…a portal to the present, Carlisle? How can that be?" Emmett asks, bewildered.

"Parallel Universe." Carlisle and I answer in unison.

Diverting our attention back to the opening, we watch in amazement as a human Bella enters the room and embraces human Edward. Things quickly heat up between them, but before they get a chance to fully disrobe the opening abruptly closes.

"Aw, man, they were about to get busy!" Bellows Emmett in his disappoint, earning him a resounding, head-tilting smack to the back of his head from Rosalie.

"Sorry. I'm not your porn pusher, Emmett." Bella laughs lightly.

"What is it with this chick getting all the really cool gifts?" Though whinier than any of the rest of us would have posed, there's no doubt he has asked the question of the day.

"That is an excellent question, Emmett, and while I have experience with many gifted individuals, Bella is certainly the rarest I've ever encountered."

"How so?" I inquire with interest. I always knew my wife was special – from the moment we met – but for Carlisle to never have encountered anyone like her before is truly amazing.

"Among the gifted, I've known others who possessed a secondary gift in addition to their primary. Like you, Edward." He says matter-of-factly.

"What do you mean _like me_, Carlisle? I only have the one gift." I reply incredulously, wondering where exactly he's going with this. I think I'd know if I had an additional ability.

"Do you not consider your superior speed a gift, Edward?" Carlisle asks, obviously surprised.

"Well, no, I honestly never have." I shake my head, a little taken aback that I've never considered this and genuinely amused at the prospect of learning something new about myself.

"You should. Have you yet to come in contact with a vampire faster than yourself in these ninety-five years? I'd say that's highly unusual…wouldn't you?" He smiles, knowingly, waiting patiently for my reply.

"Now that you mention it, I'd have to say yes." I chuckle to myself, feeling oddly as though I've been upgraded without my prior knowledge.

"Dual-gifted vampires, such as yourself, Edward, are uncommon, but not unheard of. Bella, however, as far as I know, is the first ever to possess a tertiary gift. What makes her rarer still is the powerful nature of each of her abilities. Ordinarily, one's secondary gift is far less significant than the primary. But, as you can see by the versatility of her mental shield, this is not the case with Bella." He looks over affectionately at his newest adoptive daughter.

"So, my tertiary gift is the ability to open a portal to another world?" She stammers, clearly staggered by the implications of all this.

"No, that would be your primary gift. Your tertiary gift is your exceptional self-control. The onset of the gift doesn't constitute its rank, but the power behind it."

"Hmm," Alice muses, "You'd think that a primary gift would have the decency to show up first."

"Yes, one would think so. But, perhaps it is necessary to gain complete control over the lesser gifts before mastery of the greater can be achieved." Carlisle deduces thoughtfully.

"I knew you were going to be one badass little newborn! So, when do we make the first voyage to infinity and beyond? I call shotgun!" Emmett's enthusiasm is contagious and soon, the majority of the family is caught up in the thrill of this recent discovery.

"Not to spoil the mood or anything," Jasper interjects soberly, "but as exciting as all of this is, it also seems potentially dangerous."

"You're absolutely right, Jasper. That's why it is imperative that we proceed with caution."

"What do you suggest, Carlisle?" Bella asks, obviously eager to receive the ever wise counsel of our mentor.

"I'd like to follow a procedure I refer to as the three R's: Research, Review and Record. We begin by thoroughly researching everything we can about Quantum Mechanics. Once we're adequately educated, we closely review Bella's ability. Learn how it functions, ascertain any and all risks; conduct controlled explorations, and remain diligent to record our results along the way."

Carlisle's suggested plan of execution is well received by everyone. We all agree to begin the research phase in the morning, before finally adjourning for the night. What's happening with Bella is a lot for each of us to absorb, and as I run with my family back to our cottage, I'm grateful to know that we're not in this alone. With all of us working together, we'll surely be able to help Bella wield her new ability safely.

I deposit Renesmee in her room, deeply satisfied to see her once again sleeping soundly in her bed. As I enter our bedroom, I find Bella strewn across the mattress in all her naked glory. I quickly discard my clothing to match her current state of undress and join her on the bed.

"Time to make good…" She breathes wantonly, making me want her all the more.

And _make good_ I do – very, _very_ good.


	3. 3

**No copyright infringement intended. I do this not for compensation, but merely for the merriment of myself and my fellow twilighters. I may own a ferocious Edward appetite, but Stephenie Meyer owns all things twilight!**

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**3.**

_ Mm… How much time do we have left?_ Bella mewls mentally as she launches a maddeningly slow assault on my ear, alternately nibbling and flicking the sensitive appendage with her tongue. Over the course of the night, she's really gotten quite good at keeping her shield down whilst her attention is otherwise involved.

"Not long." I whisper heatedly into the crook of her neck, my lips lightly grazing the skin there as I chase the iridescent sparkles it throws, bathed in the early morning light. Loving the way the prisms jump and dance in time to the rhythm of my hips.

_ What is she doing?_ She purrs rapturously, likewise appreciative of the rhythmic undulations of my posterior. Looking through the window of our daughter's mind, I watch as she officiates the miniature wedding ceremony of her _Polly Pocket_ doll and the teeny handcrafted wolf from Bella's charm bracelet. She slowly closes the gap between them and giggles adorably as she says, "You may now lick the bride." I do the cerebral equivalent of rolling my eyes and decide that, while this display is _some_what cute, it's best I keep the knowledge of these neonatal nuptials to myself for now.

"Guess." I breathe softly before returning my mouth to her neck. Suckling her flesh gently, I coax her back away from the mattress slightly.

_ Thinking about Jacob?_ She guesses effortlessly as she buries her fingers deep in my hair, anchoring me to the spot.

"You've played this game before." I murmur against her throat, sliding my arms between her body and the bed. Caressing and embracing her tightly to me, as I repeatedly lift her pelvis to meet mine.

_ Ooh, what'd I win?_ She queries unevenly, the voice in her head beginning to falter as a fog of delicious delirium clouds over her mind.

"One climactic climax." I manage to ground out, before employing my superior vampiric speed in a way I've never previously attempted. I completely cover her sweet mouth with my own, exchanging cool breaths and ecstatic cries as we ride the waves of our release together.

As we emerge from the depths of pure satisfaction, I can almost hear the rapidly fraying rope of Renesmee's patience beginning to run out.

"Breakfast time for the half-human." I hum cheerfully, rising from the blankets and bringing Bella along with me. We savor knowing glances as we reminisce on the time I said a variation of those very words to her. It was a little less than two years ago and she was waking up to me on what would be the first of many mornings to come.

Unable as much as we are unwilling to remove the ridiculous smiles from our faces, we share a quick shower before dressing and making our way to Renesmee's room. Her chocolate brown eyes, two flawless replicas of her mother's earlier hue, light up at the sight of us in her doorway.

Without giving us a chance to enter she leaps into Bella's arms, and places one palm on her cheek. We are treated to the breathtaking image of the sun rising outside of her window this morning.

"Good morning." Bella whispers softly, peppering her face with feather light kisses.

"Good morning to you, too, sweet girl." I lean in and press one lingering kiss into her shiny, copper curls.

"Did you sleep well?" Her mother asks, brushing away stray hairs with her hand and reuniting them with the others flowing in ringlets down her back. She smiles and nods her head quickly up and down in the affirmative.

"Did you dream pretty dreams?" I follow up, beaming as her smile widens causing her eyes to glisten enchantingly. She returns a hand to her mother's face, flooding our minds with ethereal images of soaring through billowy cotton candy clouds, on the back of one rather majestic flying wolf.

"You always have the loveliest dreams. I'm quite jealous, you know." I lie convincingly through my annoyance. Though completely innocent; the very idea that there was an exclusive Jacob Black portion of my daughter's dreams is, admittedly, a little unsettling.

Implementing her knack for diplomacy, my ambassador wife chooses this moment to whisk Renesmee away for her bath. I turn and walk in the other direction toward the kitchen to start on her breakfast; a skill I perfected in preparation for my and Bella's honeymoon.

With thoughts of dreamy Isle Esme days and steamy nights to keep me company, I enter the kitchen. Our daughter definitely prefers blood to human food, but has amicably agreed to a one-human-meal-a-day deal.

Our insistence upon this ritual is twofold, as one, it will help acclimate her to the taste should it ever become a necessity in the future, and two, it provides us with one of many precious moments of quality family time.

I gather the necessary ingredients and assemble a cheese omelet that, as unappetizing as it seems, is fit for consumption. I ease it onto a plate along with a few strawberries, sliced pears and cinnamon toast. I'm just pouring a cup of peach-mango juice when both my girls enter the room.

Like the little lady she is, Renesmee seats herself at the table, spreads a napkin across her lap and begins eating. Bella and I sit on either side of her, close enough that she can comfortably communicate with her mother as she eats.

After sharing a few more scenes from her dreams, she finishes her food and looks between us expectantly.

"Okay kiddo, what'll it be today?" Bella chimes merrily. Our daughter, in addition to being hard to resist and intelligent beyond her years, is also what one would affectionately call: a little dancing fool. And, as part of our deal, we've agreed to perform – as a family – a dance of her choice immediately after the completion of a meal.

Thanks to her Aunt Alice's love for eighties music and movies, which she has so generously shared with her niece, I'm hardly surprised when the final routine from _Flashdance_ begins playing in my mind. Yesterday it was the number from Michael Jackson's _Thriller_, and the day before that, the original _Footloose_. Having a memory as perfect as our own, we watch as she replays the choreography for us from beginning to end.

She then produces a CD with the appropriate music (courtesy of Alice, of course) and Bella puts it in the stereo. We head out to the backyard and take our places on the makeshift dance floor. She cues up the music with the remote and the first notes of "What a Feeling" waft through the air.

We've been at it for nearly a minute, hitting each step with professional precision; as "Little Miss Lord of the Dance" will stand for nothing less. Just before the up tempo musical transition begins, there's a knock at the front door.

"It's open, Alice." I say and chuckle as my tiny sister bops outside skip-dancing to the beat, dressed in a black bodysuit, ankle leg warmers, ballet flats and a poofy, curly shoulder length brunette wig. If it weren't for the pale skin and dramatic height difference, she could easily pass as Jennifer Beals prancing body double.

She takes position a good distance away from a very thrilled Renesmee who momentarily breaks routine and starts bouncing and clapping at the sight of her, in the precise way her Aunt does whenever she's excited. Alice doesn't always decide to join us, out of respect for our concerted effort at family time. But, when she does, she is always in full costume and she always, _always_ puts on a very good show.

After dancing, not, "for our lives," as the song lyrics would indicate, but certainly with all our might, we reenter the cottage where Bella powers off the stereo and I clean-up Renesmee's breakfast dishes. We then make our exit, sprinting together through the forest for a day of non-stop study at _Casa de Cullen_. I'm especially eager to peruse what course materials Carlisle has come up with.

No sooner than we're in the door does the groovy sound of Beyonce's, "Crazy in Love" blast from somewhere on the upper level, as a tank top and Daisy Duke clad Rosalie descends the staircase. Backwards no less – shaking what her mama gave her. I don't utter a word, but glare enough daggers her way she stops awkwardly mid shake.

"Not yet?" She laughs nervously.

"Not ever." I say, managing somehow to force the words through clenched jaws. I've got nothing against the talented "Sasha Fierce," but, that hardly means I want my little angel dancing like her.

Rosalie shrugs before turning on her ruby red high heels and Beyonce-strutting back up the stairs – followed very closely by a seemingly hypnotized Emmett. Ever since Renesmee revealed her affinity for dance, I swear it's been like _Vampires: The Musical!_ around here.

Just last week, Carlisle and Esme shocked us all with their provocative reenactment of Johnny and Baby's "Cry to Me" from _Dirty Dancing_. It's amazing how for nothing other than the entertainment of one little girl, the adults in her life willingly burst into song and dance at random.

As if on cue the strumming of a catchy guitar and a familiar whistle, which is soon after followed by a funky baseline, can be heard from the front yard. When Adam Levine starts to sing; our daughter's eyes literally sparkle as she frantically flashes back-to-back images of Jacob in her mind. Perfect.

I nod my head giving her permission to join him and watch rigidly from the window as they begin performing the steps to some previously rehearsed dance routine on the dirt driveway. While Jacob's busy showing my daughter he's got "the moves like Jagger," Bella joins me – slipping her hand into my back pocket.

_You did really good back there at the cottage._ She coos, resting her head on my shoulder.

"I reckon I did outdo myself with that backspin, didn't I?" I say rather smugly.

_Indeed you did. Though, that's not exactly what I'm talking about. I know it couldn't have been easy for you to watch Jacob star in so many of Renesmee's dreams._

"Oh. That." I scoff, my earlier annoyance returning slightly.

_Yes. That._ She mocks good-naturedly. _I'm sure you realize it isn't romantically motivated at all, for either of them._

"Of course I do." I answer automatically, watching Jacob bounce about like an overgrown kid to the music; with the thoughts to match.

_He's her best friend and she loves him and longs for his happiness._ She sighs, leaning her body deeply into my side.

"I imagine that she does." I concur, exhaling slowly as I relax my posture and wrap my arm around her slender waist.

_That's the reason she often marries her dolls to her stuffed dogs and various other objects representative of a wolf._ She says casually, but equally carefully as well.

"You knew about that?" I snicker lowly, amused to find that we've both been striking that particular piece of information from the record of our daughter's life.

_Mhm. She sees all of us Cullens permanently paired up and wants to witness that joy so much for Jake; she acts it out when she plays. It's really quite sweet…_ She trails off contentedly.

"Mother's truly are more perceptive than father's when it comes to their children, even with a certain father's ability to read minds." I announce with wonder, honestly humbled by her insight.

_Not really, Papa. Mama just happens to be perceptive enough to ask._ She chortles playfully, as she gives my cheek a firm squeeze inside my pocket.

"Still, I'm surprised I haven't picked up on some of that in her thoughts. As often as she dreams of him, you'd think she'd…_think_ about him more." I scrunch my face in concentration to find Nessie's thoughts squarely focused on her dance moves.

_"Poor clueless Papa."_ She breathes slowly, shaking her head from side to side.

"What? You don't think she's blocking her thoughts from me, do you?" I turn and face her profile as half of a tell-tale smile forms on her lips.

_Of course she is._ She answers coolly, as though this were the most natural thing in the world for her to do.

"Al_ready_?" I sputter in utter unbelief, cringing as my voice ascends a few octaves. She isn't even a teenager yet and she's resorting to subterfuge.

_Wouldn't you if one of your parents were a mind reader?_ Her rhetorical question is unfailingly reasonable, however, I feel myself wanting to resist nonetheless.

"I'm not sure how I feel about this." I admit, suddenly struggling with an overwhelming feeling of distance that didn't exist a moment ago.

_Isn't she entitled to her privacy, Edward?_ Her tone soothes gently, as she correctly appraises the fall in my countenance.

"Yes, as much as anyone else does." I retort very nearly to myself; rubbing my fingers in slow circles over my chest, as though the action will ease the constricting ache just underneath.

_Then what's the problem, sweetheart?_ She inquires, waiting patiently when I don't immediately answer.

"The problem is; all of this seems to revolve around a single source. If it weren't for this imprinting business, I wouldn't have to share her with another male for many years to come. I know I'm essentially a selfish creature, but, is it wrong for a father to treasure being the only man in his little girl's heart?" Under the weight of my own vulnerability, I feel less like an invincible vampire and more like a fragile object that's fallen underfoot. Jacob's foot, as it were.

_Oh, honey, of course not. You have been subjected to a power that no other father in history has ever had to endure. And yet, as difficult as it obviously and rightly is for you, you continue to handle it with a grace that never ceases to amaze me._

"Do you honestly believe that?" I ask, hopeful, though unconvinced that I've somehow kept my discomfort to myself to a degree that merits such high praise.

_You tell me…_ She pauses for a short time to allow me to sample the tenor of her thoughts before she continues. _You may not be the only man in your little girl's heart, Edward Cullen, but you were and are the first. Never forget that. _She concludes, recalling the memories of the hours I spent speaking softly into her growing belly, as I listened to Renesmee's adoring thoughts from the womb.

I tilt my head to the side and engage her in an achingly slow kiss, before I pull away slightly and murmur, "Thank you, love. As impossible as the act of my becoming forgetful is, that was a fact that I was beginning to lose sight of." I lean in and kiss her again, relishing the feel of her tongue against mine, her hand massaging me through my pants and the sound of her quiet moans.

Absorbed in the euphoria that is Bella, I forget where I am; until the clearing of a throat from behind us brings me crashing back to reality.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but, we're all waiting for you in the library." Carlisle announces with a boyish grin stretched across his face.

We smile sheepishly in return and shift our eyes back toward the window; taking in the scene in silence for the briefest of moments.

"Where this imprint is concerned, you've likewise shown incredible grace under fire." I offer meaningfully, not taking my eyes off the smiling, jiving girl on the drive.

"Well, there was this one time…" She lets her words hang in the air as she envisions the moment she attacked Jacob, when news of his imprintee reached her newly born ears. We can't help but laugh a little at the memory.

Seeing that Renesmee is thoroughly occupied in a freestyle dance off with Jacob, we follow Carlisle down the hall to the library.


	4. 4

**No copyright infringement intended. I do this not for compensation, but merely for the merriment of myself and my fellow twilighters. I may own a ferocious Edward appetite, but Stephenie Meyer owns all things twilight!**

* * *

**4.**

Entering the library is like entering the realm of an elite, high society private school's Physics Club. Only instead of its members consisting of the genius-by-human-standards offspring of well-to-do megalomaniacs, it harbors a room full of timeless vampires possessing superhuman intellect. Rosalie has traded her Daisy Duke's for a black pencil skirt and the soft sounds of Debussy's Arabesque No. 1 float gently above us from strategically placed overhead speakers.

The speed of acquisition, scholarly style and lush decadence of the decorum has Alice written all over it. The room has been rearranged to resemble an opulent collegiate lecture hall, with Carlisle's elegant Spanish Revival executive desk at the head. Eight elaborate computer desks, which continue the Spanish Revival theme, face his and atop each one sits a sleek laptop with an equally sleek set of headphones. The accompanying chairs have been upholstered in cool baby blue, smooth cream and milk chocolate paisley, offsetting beautifully their rich rosewood encasings.

The entire look ties together rather luxuriously: from the flowing tri-colored window treatments, matching the palette of the upholstery perfectly, to the striking gold accent pieces expertly interspersed throughout.

An aisle has been fashioned that runs the length of the room and the desks have been divided up into a single row of four on either side of it. I smile knowingly at the sixth desk as it quietly speaks to Carlisle's humility. He clearly intends to sit with the rest of us when he isn't acting in the capacity of an instructor.

Making our way down the aisle we pass Jasper and Alice, then Emmett and Rosalie and finally Esme and the empty desk which Carlisle will eventually occupy. Bella and I take the two remaining seats at the back of the room, directly across the aisle from one another. We all direct our eyes to the front where Carlisle is leaning leisurely on his desk.

"Now that we're all assembled, let us begin by going over the day's itinerary. MIT and Stanford University are each offering free online resources in Quantum Mechanics. With the aid of MIT and Prof. Vladan Vuletic we will download and work our way through his 24 week course: Quantum Physics I. Our Stanford education will consist primarily of a 20 lecture series by Prof. Leonard Susskind, made available on the institution's YouTube page. By my estimation, if we engage each in tandem, and increase the speed of the lectures, we should conclude with both by day's end."

* * *

For the better part of three months we progress in much the same way, with Carlisle presenting more online courses and lectures for us to absorb. In addition to the pop quizzes he created himself in order to truly challenge us. By the end of this 90 day period of study, we had expounded Schrödinger's equation and were more than ready to exit the "Research" phase and enter the "Review and Record" phases.

Thus far, we've been able to determine that Bella's Portal (as we've come to call it) isn't a wormhole – but a gateway nonetheless – and is completely stable with absolutely no fluctuations from one initiation to the next. It emits minimal levels of radiation, less than that of a microwave in fact and therefore poses no risk to Renesmee or the population at large.

Adverse effects to Bella are virtually nonexistent as well. The only drawback being an inability to reopen the portal, should it be left open for more than 23 minutes at a time. Mental rest for a period of 24 hours is the necessary remedy for this malady. As a preventative measure, however, we're careful not to exceed the time limit. All in all, she's exhibiting greater and greater control over her gift with each passing day.

At this point, we've acquired and fully documented all the information we can from this end of the portal. All that remains now is to cross the threshold…

"As we discussed yesterday, today we'll be conducting brief, 15 minute explorations just beyond the event horizon of Bella's Portal." Carlisle begins. "We'll go in four man teams, and for safety will remain in the vicinity of the portal, and thus maintain visual contact with the homestead at all times. Remember, if you can't see the portal, than it is likely those of us at home cannot see you. Are you ready to begin, Bella?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." She replies meekly.

"Do you feel mentally rested enough to embark on this journey today? We can easily postpone if you would prefer to wait." Carlisle closely examines her facial expression and posture for signs of discomfort.

"Thank you, Carlisle, but that won't be necessary. The previous two days of mental rest you prescribed were more than enough." Bella reassures with conviction, excited to have finally reached this point in the process.

"Very well, then. Please proceed when ready." He steps aside to give her some room, his own excitement rivaling hers.

Bella takes an unnecessary breath before she closes her eyes and focuses on initiating the portal. In less than a few seconds we're staring into the event horizon, revealing the room where we first saw my human counterpart who doesn't appear to be there at present.

She opens her eyes and moves to stand directly in front of the portal, with Carlisle positioning himself a few feet behind her.

"Edward…Esme…would you join us please?" Carlisle requests with barely contained composure. Esme and I take our places beside our respective mates, equally affected by the effervescent energy everyone seems to be giving off. I take Bella's hand in mine and stroke it lovingly as I wait. She takes a step forward and touches her finger to the face of the portal. Immediately, what once looked like a solid window, now takes on the appearance of illuminated water as first one ripple and then another extends from the point she touched to the outer edge of the portal.

The effect is altogether mesmerizing as a brilliant array of glowing pinks, purples, reds, oranges, blues and turquoises shine forth before our eyes. It's something akin to the colorful light display of Niagara Falls, only infinitely more breathtaking in its beauty. She hastily draws her hand back and the radiant, multicolored ripples vanish, leaving nothing but a dull solid surface again.

"Bella are you alright? Did it hurt you, love?" Now apprehensive, I scan her hand slowly searching for signs of injury.

"No, not at all…it was actually a very pleasant sensation. I just wasn't prepared for it." She says with a sense of wonder, her eyes dancing merrily in their sockets.

"Shall we continue, then?" Carlisle inquires, his voice shaking marginally with mirth, pleasantly preoccupied with the scene unfolding before him.

"Yes, of course." She smiles and nods her head once in his direction, then, facing forward, takes a step toward the opening.

This time she places her entire hand on the surface of the portal and presses imperceptibly. The kaleidoscopic, illumined ripples return, the light and colors growing steadily in intensity until the entire room is aglow with a spectrum of colors reflecting onto the walls. With the ripples amplified all around us onto the walls as well, the library looks like a glorious auroral underwater chamber.

The spellbinding effect is enhanced all the more with the lot of us sparkling like diamonds under the incandescent lights, literally bouncing myriads of sparkles off every possible surface.

As Bella becomes submerged and crosses over, I begin to enter the event horizon. I marvel at the substance coming in contact with my skin; as it possesses all the properties of water, but it isn't wet. The captivating rainbow waves flow over, around and through me, engulfing me in a world of cascading color both inside and out. There's a low hum I didn't notice before that vibrates gently throughout my body. I realize this must be the "pleasant sensation" she referred to earlier. I'm vaguely aware that I'm being gently propelled forward by the surrounding waves until I'm suddenly standing beside Bella on the other side.

We embrace one another briefly before taking several steps back to allow enough room for Carlisle and Esme to gain entry. At the sound of footsteps behind us, we spin around and come face to face with my human self. I can feel Bella tense at my side and, out of habit, swiftly block her body with mine in preparation to engage…well…myself.

"We mean you no harm." I say calmly, carefully. Hoping my counterpart doesn't startle and charge, forcing me to inflict the harm I don't mean him. Not only does he not charge, he offers no response whatsoever. Furthermore, he gives no indication that he's seen or heard me at all. I decide he must be in shock and try again.

"Hello… If you can see or hear me, please nod your head." Again, nothing. We watch in stunned silence as he retrieves what he came for and exits the room. Convinced that he is indeed unaware of our presence, we turn our attention back to the opening. Watching the portal closely, we're both eager to witness Carlisle and Esme's entrance and are perplexed to see them palming and poking at it instead.

"Why aren't they coming through?" Bella puzzles, wrinkling her nose in the adorable way she does when she's confused.

"I can't imagine." I respond, nonplussed. Hoping they didn't change their minds at the last minute.

As we continue to watch, I notice that Carlisle isn't palming, so much as he is pounding the surface of the portal with his fist and shouting, though I can't hear a word.

"Bella, we'd better head back…something's wrong." I don't hesitate or give her an opportunity to reply as I interlock our fingers and with haste approach the opening.

Taking the lead this time, I enter the portal ahead of Bella so that whatever trouble we encounter happens to me first, and, if need be, I can push her away to the safety of the other side again. Thankfully, no such trouble awaits us and our reentry to our side of the portal is uneventful.

Once Bella is clear of the threshold, it returns to its pre-embarkation state: smooth as glass with no lights or colors to speak of. It then closes; leaving us to stare in its wake.

We're immediately assaulted by a dozen arms as the members of our family frantically begin to embrace us all at once. After receiving what feels like my 50th relieved kiss, I'm released from my unorthodox captivity and left to my own devices.

"What happened, Carlisle?" I ask semi-alarmed, my senses still on high alert as I inspect first his appearance and then his thoughts.

"I'm not sure, Edward. After you passed through, the ripples abruptly subsided, and, while the lights and colors remained, they themselves were replaced by a solid surface again." He places a hand on my shoulder and squeezes comfortingly, reassuring me with his silent gesture that there's no longer any cause for alarm.

"Impenetrably solid; Carlisle really pummeled that thing to the point of developing fractures on his fist." Esme adds disenchanted, making no effort to conceal her concern.

"Are you alright, Carlisle?" Bella heaves raggedly, visibly disturbed that something that came from her could hurt a member of her family.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine." Carlisle quickly soothes. "I was much more concerned that the two of you would be permanently lost to us. I'm very grateful to see that is not the case."

"Yes. Our transport to and fro was relatively easy." I confirm, my earlier tension evacuating my limbs and allowing me to relax.

"I wonder what caused the portal to change like that." Alice speculates aloud, drumming her fingers absently on the desk she's sitting at.

"It could be something as simple as a two person limit." Rosalie offers thoughtfully, shrugging indifferently at the surprised eyeballing that ensues.

"That does seem like a plausible explanation, Rosalie. Thank you. Carlisle affirms, encouragingly. "Bella, would you like to continue?"

"I don't see why not. The portal was only open for about 5 minutes, so I should be able to reopen it without any problem."

Without another word Bella opens the portal. We opt to stay behind this time, and allow two others to travel through. Everyone makes an attempt at entry, in groups of two at first, and finally individually, but all to no avail.

"Since this is Bella's gift," Jasper begins. "Maybe we need her to successfully gain access to the other side? Like a bridge."

"That's a reasonable theory, Jasper." Carlisle asserts appreciatively.

At Jasper's suggestion, they each take turns holding Bella's hand as she enters the portal. All the attempts end the same way, however; with Bella standing safely on the other side leaving her companion stranded with the rest of us.

"Here's an avenue we've yet to pursue..." Carlisle is pensive for a moment before he continues. "In order to eliminate all possibilities, would you endeavor to cross the event horizon alone, Edward?

"I'm willing to try." I reply, reminding myself that should I fail here, it's already been proven that I'm able to crossover _with_ her. It comforts me to know that no matter what, I will not be leaving Bella alone in this journey; a fact for which I am eternally grateful. For how could I possibly bear her going where I cannot follow?

I place my hand against the still open portal and watch in amazement as the ripples, colors and lights erupt across the surface. I step through to the other side, bid a hasty hello to my unsuspecting human self, then pivot and return to the others.

"Well, I guess that answers that." Carlisle chuckles nervously and bestows a mildly congratulatory clap on my back.

"Care to share with the class, Carlisle? Emmett asks, intrigued, sitting and propping his feet unceremoniously upon the nearest desk.

"It would appear that only Edward and Bella are permitted access into the portal." Carlisle explains, his usually temperate disposition growing cloudier all the while.

"So, I don't get to go '_to infinity and beyond'_ after all?" Emmett sulks, clearly dejected.

"I'm afraid not, Emmett, but you're in good company." Carlisle makes to console him, but is shooed away by Rosalie and readily concedes.

Bella and I are both astonished to say the least by this latest revelation. We're both mutually determined however to continue with the exploration. Carlisle's gaze is fixed firmly on me as he assesses my mood, and hearing his thoughts, I momentarily question whether he isn't a mind reader after all.

"I don't like this, Edward. If the two of you run into any complications on the other side, we'll all be unable to come to your aid." He says stoically, but his thoughts belie his calm demeanor. He wants to forbid us and the protective father in him is actively waging war with his more rational side.

"We understand your unease, Carlisle, but we have reason to believe that our presence will go completely undetected." I assuage gently, allowing my deep respect for the man before me to completely permeate my tone. I know why he quietly rages and the love which motivates it staggers as much as it stabilizes me.

"Please explain." He exhales slowly, lowering himself onto the top of his desk. His eyes are still fixed on me, but they have lost a majority of their firmness.

"While Edward and I were on the other side," Bella interjects delicately, taking her cue from me. "We had an encounter with the human Edward. If you can even call it that – he never acknowledged our existence."

"Yes, it was as though he could neither see nor hear us." I reiterate, communicating – hopefully successfully – the validity of our claim.

"Perhaps he was just ignoring you. I know I've been tempted to on occasion." Rosalie quips challengingly, crossing her arms smugly, and, if you ask me, nullifying her earlier usefulness. Just as I attempt to read the reason for her unprovoked attack in her thoughts, she starts naming the parts of an engine in Arabic; essentially blocking my efforts.

"_Perhaps_," I allow serenely, eyeing her briefly before refocusing on Carlisle and, ironically, ignoring her completely. "But what would be his motive? The unusual circumstances surrounding our appearance would, at the very least, warrant his curiosity."

"I'll say. Especially when you consider the spectacular light show that preceded our arrival." Bella attests jovially.

"In light of this new evidence, I see no reason to object. I can't say that I'm not envious though. My only piece of advice, if you'd be so inclined to take it, would be to limit your explorations to 15 minutes as planned. At least until you've become seasoned interstellar travelers."

We easily accept Carlisle's advice, and, with his blessing, Bella once again opens the portal. As with any undertaking of an unchartered voyage, we bid an emotional goodbye to our family, complete with lingering hugs and kisses on both sides. Even Rosalie, who let slip it was her disappointment at being left behind, that lead to her lashing out at me.

Deciding not to worry Renesmee unnecessarily, we agree to wait until we've returned to apprise her of our journey. That way, she'll know beyond a doubt that all went well, and we'll know conclusively what to expect so we can allay her concerns. Not to mention have more to share with her.

Captivated by the woman beside me, looking so lovely bathed in the otherworldly glow of the portal, my own words fail me. When I open my mouth, I'm singing the chorus to "Echo" by Incubus, a song we both know well. She responds by wrapping her arms around me, and silencing me with a kiss; which she does not relent even as we enter the portal and disappear.


End file.
